Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Objectives such as ensuring value for money for taxpayers, prudent budgetary management, and expenditure and policy reform remain key objectives of public expenditure management throughout all Government Departments. These goals are embedded across the system of Government and are progressed in a number of ways, from the day-to-day management of resources by accounting officers, regular engagement across Departments on cross cutting issues and through the public service reform programme which is co-ordinated by my Department.

Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is a key responsibility of each Minister and their Department and measures are in place to help ensure that these budgetary targets continue to be met. My Department is in regular and ongoing communication with all Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed within overall fiscal parameters. The drawdown of funds from the Exchequer is monitored against the published expenditure profiles and there is regular reporting to Government on these matters. Information in relation to voted expenditure is published monthly with the Exchequer Returns.

Budgetary reform remains a central feature of public expenditure management, and is progressed through a range of initiatives including, but not limited to:

• the Spending Review Process
• Wellbeing and Equality Budgeting
• Performance Budgeting
• Green Budgeting and
• the development and review of the National Development Plan

These reforms and processes broaden the approach to how public expenditure is appraised, implemented and reviewed. They govern not only how and where the money is spent but also the impact of public expenditure across different cohorts of society and the different categories of expenditure. They work in tandem with broader initiatives, such as the establishment of the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES), to develop capacity and enhance the role of economics and analysis in public policy making. There is a broad suite of training available too that covers public service management under the likes of One Learning and the refund of fees initiative.

My Department engages regularly in international fora such as OECD working parties and committees, to discuss and share knowledge. These discussions focus on areas such as spending reviews, budgetary reform and insights that strengthen public sector institutions’ ability to promote systemic change as way to respond to economic, social and environmental challenges.

In respect of enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of policy delivery, improving and supporting the evaluation capacity within Government Departments has formed an important part of our reform programme. Supported by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, this has led to the development of a number of additional processes and reports to support the budgetary framework.

For example the Spending Review process is co-ordinated by my Department and seeks to assess the effectiveness of public expenditure in meeting policy objectives while fostering cross Departmental engagement and learning. To date 15 of 18 Government Departments, alongside a number of agencies, have engaged with the spending review process; which has seen 173 papers published since introduction in 2017 with another 20 in the pipeline this year. Such research helps build our evidence base for future policy formulation.

Each reform area above represents one part of an overall reform process. Together, these reforms aim to provide a more comprehensive and thorough insight into how public services are supporting society. It is with this more complete understanding that policymakers can work towards the achievement of value for money objectives in the context of the budgetary process, can ensure responsiveness to emerging opportunities and trends where appropriate, and can enhance the impact of policies and programmes on the lives of people in Ireland.